What were some Waffen SS Unit nicknames?

Matthias · Post by **Matthias** » Sun Jan 05, 2003 8:08 pm

The reason I am asking is that I remember reading somewhere about a Waffen SS unit that was nicknamed the Fire Brigade mainly because it was sent from action to action putting out "fires." This unit also had a special emblem painted on its vehicles. Does anyone have an idea on what unit this could be?

Well the real reason I am asking is that I am writing a "historical fiction" novel and one of the main characters hails from an SS unit. If I were to guess I probably say that the "fire brigade" was the 2nd SS but of course I could be wrong.

Thanks in advance.

Matthias

Christoph Awender · Post by **Christoph Awender** » Sun Jan 05, 2003 8:21 pm

Hello Matthias!

It was no particular unit as all detachements which served as mobile reserves were called "Frontfeuerwehr".
In the last stages of the war divisions, Korps, Armies formed Kampfgruppen to help when local forces were overrun etc...
So if somewhere was fire they came....

Christoph

Juha Hujanen · Post by **Juha Hujanen** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 7:58 am

I remenber that i read a account when Dirlewanger unit was referred as "Knochensturm",or "Assault Bones".

Cheers/Juha

areilley · Post by **areilley** » Thu Jan 09, 2003 5:04 pm

Jochen Peiper's 3rd Bat. of SS PzGrn Reg.2 ( 1SS PZGrn Div. Leibstandarte) was known as the 'blow torch' Bat. and had a blow torch painted on its vehicles in 1943 in Russia.

Abwehr · Post by **Abwehr** » Fri Jan 10, 2003 4:49 pm

Because so many SS regiments and abteilungen had official names, few nicknames were ever really needed.

Myrtle-the-turtle · Post by **Myrtle-the-turtle** » Fri Jan 10, 2003 8:18 pm

The "blowtorch" group. Was this a reference to them actually having set fire to lots of stuff in Russia, or was it just a boastful symbol? Maybe some of both? Just curious.

Ethelian · Post by **Ethelian** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 2:28 pm

It was called the "Blow Torch" because of the tactics it used to break through the Russian lines

Later
Ethelian

Kameraden · Post by **Kameraden** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 6:00 pm

Sorry Ethelian.

I have to Disagree with you on that.
Pieper himself stated that the Allies tried to Use the Nickname as evidence of Atrocities after the war.

They stated that it was because the unit burned down villages etc.
Pieper states that they were called that because they used Blow Torches to warm up the engines of their Vehicles when they became so cold they would'nt start in winter and the nickname was completely innocent.

Check out this link'and read the Italics

http://www.geocities.com/wolfram55/jjp.html

Whats your source of information for your interpretation?

Thanx

Ethelian · Post by **Ethelian** » Thu Jan 16, 2003 11:16 am

I got my "idea from "Jochen Peiper"by Patrick Agte.I thought it was in reference to his rescue of the 367th(?) Infantry division?I could be wrong about the divisional unit number but i thought that was were they got the name from because of the way they "blowtorched" their way through the Russian lines?

I can check if you are interested?

Later
Ethelian

Feldgrau.net

What were some Waffen SS Unit nicknames?

What were some Waffen SS Unit nicknames?

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Unit Nicknames

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